Netflix + Stage 32 Present: How to Write Sci-Fi Scripts for Streaming Television
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Webinar hosted by: Mickey Fisher
TV Creator and Showrunner (CBS's EXTANT, NBC's REVERIE, National Geographic's MARS)
Mickey Fisher was an unknown writer from Ironton, Ohio when his contest-winning TV script EXTANT caught the attention of Steven Spielberg and later became the science fiction series on CBS starring Halle Berry. Mickey has since firmly implanted himself in the world of science fiction television, creating the NBC series REVERIE and National Geographic’s MARS. He has also served as a consulting producer on Amazon’s JACK RYAN and a writer and co-executive producer on Guillermo Del Toro’s acclaimed FX horror series THE STRAIN. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
SEE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BELOW
Netflix and Stage 32 have partnered on an exclusive global education series in an effort to democratize the worldwide entertainment industry. Together, over the course of 5 webcasts Stage 32's world class educators will bring their knowledge of what it takes to write, develop and produce today's television for the Stage 32 and Netflix creator community. These global webcasts have been seen by hundreds of thousands of creatives worldwide with a 100% satisfaction rate!
In our fourth webinar in this exclusive "Creating Television Content for a Global Marketplace" series, we are going to give you the ins and outs on how you can effectively write science fiction scripts for streaming television.
Do you have a great sci-fi idea that deserves to be seen?
Television is exploding right now with sci-fi shows that infiltrate our minds like Dark, Squid Game, Yellow Jackets and Stranger Things. Writers with fantastical minds are drawing us into some of the most creative worlds we have ever seen right now, as well as producing some of the most memorable characters. Great shows like Game of Thrones, Extant and Reverie paved the way for the hits we see today and streaming platforms are looking for the next great sci-fi scripts to bring to the world.
In order to tap into this incredible sci-fi landscape you have to be armed with the tools to write a solid pilot and be able to sustain your idea for multiple seasons. It takes a refined approach to understand the nuances of science fiction writing. Stage 32 and Netflix are going to give you the tools to make sure your script is in top shape.
To guide you on your way is producer and writer Mickey Fisher. Mickey broke out onto the scene when his contest-winning TV script Extant caught the attention of Steven Spielberg and later became the science fiction series on CBS starring Halle Berry. Mickey has since firmly implanted himself in the world of science fiction television, creating the NBC series Reverie and National Geographic’s Mars. He has also served as a consulting producer on Amazon’s Jack Ryan and a writer and co-executive producer on Guillermo Del Toro’s acclaimed FX horror series The Strain.
In an exciting FREE webcast Mickey will go into more detail on choosing a sci-fi series concept, core elements of your sci-fi series, planning character journeys, your pilot, season one and beyond, thinking international and believing in your project for the marketplace.
To see the full webinar overview, see below. Some of the case studies Mickey is going to go over in the webinar are:
- Extant
- Reverie
- Stranger Things
- Dark
- Game of Thrones
- Squid Game
- Money Heist
- Yellow Jackets
- The Mandalorian
- Peacemaker
Note: You will receive the Zoom link to login by the morning of the webinar.
If you are not yet a member of the Stage 32 community, we encourage you to join the community today at www.stage32.com, it is FREE! You will instantly connect with over 800,000 creatives and professionals in the entertainment industry from all over the world who use Stage 32 to network, find work, learn and develop their projects. YOU MUST HAVE A STAGE 32 PROFILE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO.
What You'll Learn
Case Studies: EXTANT, REVERIE, STRANGER THINGS, DARK, GAME OF THRONES, SQUID GAME, MONEY HEIST (not sci-fi but there are some relevant points), YELLOW JACKETS, THE MANDALORIAN, PEACEMAKER
1) Choosing a Sci-Fi Series Concept
- Story Darwinism - 5 questions to ask about your series idea
- Starting with a concept / hook
- Starting With character
- Serialized vs episodic
- Finding your voice
- Fuel and friction - maximizing your chances for a success (scope, budget)
2) Core Elements of Your Sci-Fi Series
- Worldbuilding
- Characters (great characters are subconsciously at war with themselves) C) Setting up A,B & C stories
- Importance of relationships
- Story engine - powering your series through multiple seasons
- Tone
- Theme / premise
- Series logline — your north star
3) “On the Axis” - Planning Character Journeys (pilot, season, series)
- External goals and internal obstacles
- Setting the stakes - the basic questions of drama
4) The Pilot
- The pilot is a contract with the audience
- Hooking the audience early
- Landing your premise by the end
5) Season One and Beyond
- The curse of the “10 hour movie”
- Episodic structure, or “the episode where”
- Tentpole moments of your season and series
- Plot twists
- Common pitfalls (such as unearned character turns, tonal shifts)
6) Thinking Globally - common elements of worldwide success stories
7) Owning Every Word
8) Q&A with Mickey
Want to see the other webcasts in this exclusive Stage 32 + Netflix Creating Television Content for a Global Marketplace series?
Click here: TV Pitch Documents with Chris Mack
Click here: TV Pitch Documents with Chris Mack - Closed Caption
Click here: TV Story Structure with Anna Henry
Click here: Writing Scripts to Budget with Jeanette B. Milio
Click here: Writing Hit Sci-Fi Scripts for Streaming Television with Mickey Fisher
Click here: Writing Hit Comedy Scripts for Streaming Television with Vijal Pital
Click here: Writing Hit Drama for Streaming Television with Leila Cohan
About Your Instructor
Mickey Fisher
FAQs
Q: How do I watch my webinar live?
A: If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Go to Webinar, you will receive an email from Go to Webinar with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. You can also access your webinar link in your purchase history located under settings in the top right-hand corner of your Stage 32 profile.
If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Zoom, you will receive a separate email from Zoom with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. Your login link will not be in your Stage 32 profile. If you did not receive your link via Zoom please email support@stage32.com.
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If You Already Have a Stage 32 Profile:
- Log into your Stage 32 profile
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- Click "Purchase History"
- Choose this webinar and click the link to view
Q: What is the format of a webinar?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute educational broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. Your webinar will be taught by a working industry professional with in-depth teaching on a topic. If you are able to attend live you will be able to ask your Stage 32 Educator questions during Q&A.
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A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
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Q: What if I cannot attend the live webinar?
A: If you cannot attend a live webinar or purchase an on demand webinar, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.
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A: Yes! Like all Stage 32 education, after the purchase of a live or on demand webinar, you will have on-demand access to the recording.
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A: If the webinar you take included handouts you can find them as downloads underneath your on demand video. You must be logged into your Stage 32 profile to view the video and get the handouts by clicking settings in the top right hand corner, then clicking purchase history.
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Thanks for your loyalty to Stage 32 Education. We value having you in the Stage 32 community.
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Reviews Average Rating: 5 out of 5
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Victor Ramon Mojica Mickey was Great! Gave me a lot of inspiration and motivation! Thank you, Mr. Fisher from the bottom of my heart - see you in the movies! -
Ruben Varela Excellent Webinar. Mickey really knows his stuff and what the streamers want. -
Eunhye Necee Beautifully explained. Thank you for this! -
Zita Grant Great information. Well structured webinar and packed with tips and inspiring examples of awesome produced work.
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